Shade-holder



`G. B. THOMAS.

' SHADE HOLDER.

APPLICATION man mn. 1e. 1920.

Patented July 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. B. THOMAS.

SHADE HOLDER. Amm/.Tann min mm. 16. 19'20.

1, 38 57,896, Patented July 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. THOMAS, OE BEIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNOE TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, or EEIDGErOET, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OE GON- NECTICUT.

SHADE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 26', 1921.

Application iled March 16, 1920. Serial No. 366,298.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shade-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shade holders, and particularly to shade holders adapted to carry a plurality of shades or reflectors, the Object of' my invention being to provide an improved shade holder adapted to grip shades having necks of different diameters.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical section through the shade in which my invention is embodied in one form showing portions of a pair of shades in assembled position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shade holder alone;

F ig. 3 is a perspective of one of the spring gripping rings; and

Fig. 4L is a perspective of the other gripping ring.

The present invention is particularly applicable to the type of shade holder illustrated, in which two shades or reflectors 5 and 6 are supported from the single shade holder 7. As will be noted, the neck bead 8 of the inner shade holder 6 is of less diameter than the bead 9 of' the outer shade 5, through which it is inserted in the assembled fitting. It is impossible to use supporting rings of the same diameter to engage both shades unless the rings are of such reduced normal diameter that they do not fit properly within a holder 7 of sufficient diameter to accommodate both shades, and consequently will not properly center the shades with relation thereto in the assembled litting. Moreover, were rings of such reduced diameter used, a much greater tension would be exerted on the bead 9 of the shade 5 of larger diameter than upon the bead 8 of the shade 6 of smaller diameter at the neck. In fact the pressure on the bead 9 in such case might be so great as to cause injury to the shade under varying temperature conditions.

The present invention affords a shade holder of such character that supporting rings of the same size may be employed, and these rings may be of proper diameter 'to center the shades with relation to the holder in the assembled fitting. As here shown the holder 7 has an annular flange l0 slotted in different planes to receive the operating finger holds 1l and supporting bends l2 of the two spaced rings 13 and 14, each of the well known type shown in the Martin Iteissue Patent No. 13,324: of November 28, 191].. The lower ring 18 is of standard construction. The upper ring 14, which engages the bead 8 of the inner shade 6, however, has secured to its opposite sides reducing plates 15, which are curved to the contour of the ring. These reducing plates may be attached to the ring in any suitable way. I have shown lugs 16 offset from each end of the plate and folded around the ring. The length of each reducing plate is such that the lugs 16 are located at an angle of 90 degrees to each other', so that when supporting strain is placed upon the plates there is no tendency to swivel on the ring. The inner edges of the reducing plates 15 engage the bead 8 of the shade 6 and support the latter in precisely the same manner as a ring, while the latter is of snfiicient diameter to properly center the shade with relation to the holder 7 and to the outer shade 5.

1While the same result might be accomplished by means of shade holding screws passed through the flange 10, the screws for the inner shade 6 being longer than those for the outer shade 5, such screws have the obvious disadvantage of being inconvenient to manipulate, affording uncertain security, and inaccuracy of centering action.

While I have shown curved reducing plates 15 secured to one of the shade holder rings, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited thereto, since it is possible to secure substantially the same result by bending in supporting loops on the ring, which loops would engage the bead 8,'while leaving the main body of the ring of the same overall diameter desired in order to secure the centering action. It is also possible to affix inwardly projecting studs to the ring. But I prefer the construction shown to either of' the forms just mentioned.

Various other modifications will occur to those dealing with the problem which do not depart from my invention.

I claiml. A shade holder comprising a plurality of spaced, contractile spring rings of substantially the same diameter, and reducing plates secured to one of said rings and projecting inwardly therefrom to aiiord a shade support of less diameter than the ring.

2. A shade holder comprising a plurality of'spaced, contractile spring rings of sub- 5 stantially the same diameter, and arcuatere duoing plates secured to opposite sides of one of said rings and projecting inwardly y therefrom to afford a shade support of less diameter than the ring..

having lugs folded over the ring,

3. A shade holder comprising a contractile spring ring, and arcuate reducing plates said plates projecting inwardly from the ring to afford a shade support of less diameter than' the ring.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE B. THOMAS. 

